Spring socket for electric plug couplings



y 13, 1939- s. WAGSTAFF 2,166,397

SPRING SOCKET FOR ELECTRIC PLUG COUPLINGS Filed June 2, 195617710672707: George Zz/aysfaff 9 M li f Patented July is, 1939 I I 7 v2,166,897

UNITED. STAT'ES'FPATENT OFFICE srame sooner ron nmc'rnrc PLUG COUPLINGSGeorge Wagstai'f, Beeston, Nottingham, England,

minor to Carr Fastener CompanyLimited, Stapleford, Nottingham, EnglandApplication June 2, 1936, Serial Ne. 83,005 In Great Britain July 24,1935 v 6 Claims. (Cl. 173-328) This invention relates to an improvedspring Fig. 6 is a part sectional elevation shewing two socket forelectric plug couplings. The object of sockets of; modified constructionsecured in posithe invention is to produce a spring socket which tionbetween two plates, and I gives a firm gripping contact on the insertedFig. 7 is a plan view of the blank for forming plug or the like and atthe same time returns to one of the sockets.

its normal dimensions after the plug or the like Referring to Figs. 1-5,the spring socket illus- -has been removed and thus does not becomedetrated is formed from a single piece of suitable formed in use. metaland comprises a top portion having a. hole According to the inventionthe socket is de- I I and four down-turned spring fingers 8, 8, 9, 9,

I signed with two sets of spring members. One set a lug III for,attachment to an electric conductor 10 engage the inserted plug or thelike to make the nd wo ups n ng l s H f r fix he s cket electric contactwhile the other set are arranged to a holder or the like. The fingers 8have a to bear on the'first set to reinforce them, incurved crosssection (Fig. 3) and are shaped and creasing the grip on the plug and atthe same time bent to grip' the inserted plug while the fingers ispreventing the socket from splaying. The head 9 are formed with lateralextensions l2 so that of the socket may be formed with lugs for fixingthey en ge e Outside O the fingers 8 d t e it to a thermionic valveholder for example. The ex ensions 12 are bent to embrace the fingers 8socket is also provided with a lug or tag for atas clearly shewn inThlls e Spring fingers tachment to a conductor or lead. 9 act asreinforcements to the fingers 8, increas- In the preferred form thesocket is made from ing the grip on the inserted plug and at the same 20a single piece of suitable metal by a. stamping time prev nt n t e s k tfr sp yi h process. Such a one-piece socket may comprise socket a s v sshape e y e e p u a top portion having a hole for the reception of r isremoved. The s cket is shewn as fixed in a the plug or the like, andintegral with this top holder P t 13 the Plate having 8 hole portion arefor example, four down-turned e p d n to the hole 7111 the socket t pthe lugs 26 spring fingers, a lug or tag for attachment to an H beingPassed through holes n e p a e adelectrical conductor or lead andpreferably two jeeent t0 the h d their e s tur e Over upstanding lugsfor fixing the socket to a holder OH to e P e indicated in Figs- 1 andThe or the like. lug i0 is preferably provided with a hole l5 for 30 Twoof the aforesaid spring fingers are shaped the attachment of theelectric conductor. 30 and bent to grip the inserted plug or the likeand 5 SheWS a P e Of t e b ank for formthe other two spring fingers actas reinforcements ing e Socket shewn in Figs- 1 d 2 and it will and areformed with lateral extensions for exbe understood that the blank i8bent'ehd p d ample so that they engage the outside of the firsty asuitable P s p r ion into the finished mentioned fingers. Thus when aplug or the like ferm- 35 is inserted into the socket, thefirst-mentioned Figs. 6 and '7 shew a socket similar to that fingersyield and grip the plug and at the same shewn in Figs. 1-5 with theexception that the time these fingers meet the extensions on the relugsfor securing the socket to a holder are inforcing spring fingers andthus the grip on the omitted. In this case the socket is intended to be40 plug is increased and at the same time the extra gripped between twoplates which are secured o spring resistance prevents the socket frombeing together to form a holder. splayed. The socket also recovers shapereadily As shewn in Fig. 6 the socket is inserted into when the plug'isremoved. a hole l 6 in the lower plate H, the lug l0 passin To enablethe invention to-be fully understood through another hole in the plate.The upper it will nowbedescribed by reference to the accomplate [8 ofthe holder has a hole l9 registering 45 panying drawing in which: 'withthe hole in the top of the socket and the Fig. 1 is an elevation of asocket made accordtwo plates l1, l8 are secured together in known ing toone form of the invention shewn attached manner by the eyelet 20. In theexample illusto a plate, and trated two sockets are shewn in the holderbut Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof from a 'difierent obviously anydesired number of sockets may be 50 angle. inserted. In this case thesocket is formed from Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Fig. 2 and athe blank shewn in Fig. 7, the blank being identi- Fig. 4 is a plan viewof the socket. cal with that of Fig. 5 except that the lugs II are Fig.5 is a plan view of a blank for forming the omitted.' fl socket shewn inFigs. 1-4. It will be understood that the socket may com- 55 prise anydesired number of spring fingers and the reinforcing fingers may bevariously shaped or arranged to engage the other fingers.

While the socket according to the invention is particularly adapted foruse with thermionic valves it will be understood that it is alsoapplicable ior use with various kinds of electrical apparatus.

I claim:

l. A one-piece spring socket member for electric plug couplings formedfrom a single piece oi. metal and comprising a head, downwardlyconverging spring contact fingers extending from spaced portions of saidhead and presenting between them a,plug-receiving socket, and downwardlyextending yieldable members extending from said head intermediatesaidfingers, said yieldable members having formed at their ends lateralextensions substantially embracing said fingers to reinforce saidfingers and restrain spreading thereof.

2. A one-piece spring socket member for elec tric plug couplings formedfrom a single piece of metal and comprising a head, downwardlyconverging spring contact fingers extending from spaced portions of saidhead and presenting between them a plug-receiving socket, and downwardlyextending yieldable members extending from said head intermediate saidfingers, said yieldable members having formed at their ends lateralextensions substantially embracing said fingers to reinforce saidfingers and restrain spreading thereof, and a conductor attaching lugextending from said head between one finger and one yieldable member andarranged to extend downwardly therefrom in spaced relation to saidsocket.

3. A one-piece spring socket member for electric plug couplings formedfrom a single piece of metal and comprising a head, downwardlyconverging spring contact fingers extending from spaced portions of saidhead and presenting between them a plug-receiving socket, and downwardlyextending yieldable members extending from said head intermediate saidfingers, said yieldable members having formed at their ends lateralextensions substantially embracing said fingers to reinforce saidfingers and restrain spreading thereof, and a pair of oppositelydisposed attaching lugs extending from said head intermediate saidfingers and yieldable members.

4. A spring socket member for electric plug couplings formed from asingle sheet metal stamping, said socket member comprising a head, apair of opposed fingers extending from opposite sides of said head andbent relative thereto to provide a plug receiving socket between them,and a pair of opposed yieldable members extending from opposite sides ofsaid head intermediate said fingers and bent to a position adjacent thefingers, said yieldable members having lateral projections at their endssubstantially embracing and reinforcing said fingers.

5. A spring socket member for electric plug couplings formed from asingle sheet metal stamping, said socket member comprising a head, apair of opposed fingers extending from opposite sides of said head andbent relative thereto to provide a plug receiving socket between them,and a pair of opposed yieldable members extending from opposite sides ofsaid head intermediate said fingers and bent to a position adjacent thefingers, said yieldable members having T-shaped ends substantiallyembracing and reinforcing said fingers.

6. A spring socket member as defined in claim 4 characterized in that apair of opposed integral attaching lugs extend from said head adapted tobe clinched over a supporting part.

GEORGE WAGSTAF'F.

